The nonprofit Rogers Park Business Alliance is thrilled to announce that the annual Best of Rogers Park Celebration & Awards Presentation will return on Thursday, June 22, 2023 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Rhapsody Theater, 1328 W. Morse Ave. The event will feature hors d'oeuvres from Twilight Kitchen, cocktails, and an awards presentation where members of the Rogers Park community are celebrated for their exemplary contributions to strengthening businesses and building community.
Two complimentary tickets for Best of Rogers Park will be available for RPBA paying members, for whom RSVP is required and can be made at www.rpba.org. General admission is $30 in advance and $40 at the door.
2023 Best of Rogers Park Awards go to the following businesses and individuals:
Becovic Community Partner – Family Matters
The Community Partner Award is awarded in recognition of an organization, business or individual who goes above and beyond the ordinary to build collaborative activities and projects in the community.
Family Matters has been organizing monthly recurring meetings that led to stronger connections and collaborations among multiple community organizations, including working with North of Howard Together to bring a mobile dental van to provide dental care to local students, with Tapestry 360 to expand healthcare access for Rogers Park community members, and connecting RPBA with A Just Harvest for the Howard Street Ambassadors Program.
Business Leadership – Antonio Diaz from South of the Border/Morse Cutz
The Business Leadership Award is awarded in recognition of a business that provides hands-on leadership on a community project, improves the quality of life in Rogers Park or expands their business and/or creates additional employment opportunities, especially with an emphasis on local hiring.
Diaz, owner of the local gem South of the Border serving Latin American cuisines, turned a vanilla box storefront into Morse Cutz. The space that has long been vacant is now a renovated hair salon.
Capital Improvement – Emmah’s Beauty Empire
The Capital Improvement Award is given in recognition of an organization, business or individual whose projects include improvements in signage, lighting, amenities such as awnings, masonry cleaning, tuck-pointing, and window and door replacement. The level of investment shows commitment to the neighborhood.
Emmah’s Beauty Empire receives this award for its impressive upgrade this year, moving into a bigger space at Clark and Touhy, redecorating the interior, purchasing new equipment, and expanding services.
Choose Chicago Volunteer of the Year – Loyola Park Advisory Council
The Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an individual or organization that has made a significant contribution to the Rogers Park community by committing a substantial number of volunteer hours over the last year.
Loyola Park Advisory Council receives the award for 30 years of service to the community, including organizing park and beach cleanup as well as community events, including Artists of the Wall festival, a free annual festival on Loyola Beach run by an all-volunteer team of Rogers Park residents.
Friend of Rogers Park – Carrie Flynn and Annie Cathcart from Charmers Café/Horseplay
The Friend of Rogers Park Award is awarded to an organization, business or individual(s) of prominence who has made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life in Rogers Park.
After the success of Charmers Café, Flynn and Cathcart opened a second business, Horseplay, in Jarvis Square, offering local artisans and makers outlets to sell products in store and at the monthly Jarvis artisan markets, contributing to the vitality of the Jarvis Alfresco area and Jarvis Square as a whole.
President's Award – Rocky's Tacos
This is an intermittent award given by the Board President of Rogers Park Business Alliance to a business or community member. Rocky’s Tacos is celebrating 29 years in business, and is known for its giant-sized tortas “Futboleras” and an expansive menu of over 80 Futboleras.
Rogers Park Business Alliance is a nonprofit organization that has served Chicago’s diverse Rogers Park neighborhood for 30 years. RPBA works to cultivate and sustain a thriving economic environment in Rogers Park, serving businesses and residents with a variety of public events and business initiatives. RPBA programs include the GROW/PROGRESANDO entrepreneurial training program, the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Rogers Park Business Alliance, annual Best of Rogers Park awards, Chalk Howard Street Festival, Taco Crawl, and the Glenwood Sunday Market farmers market. For more information, visit RPBA.org.
Images:
Artists of the Wall 2021, courtesy of Loyola Park Advisory Council.
Best of Rogers Park 2022, courtesy of Rogers Park Business Alliance.
Emmah’s Beauty Empire interior shot, courtesy of the business.
Rocky’s Tacos, courtesy of the business.